Transcript

Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on July 10th, 2023. In today’s news, Fukuoka Prefecture is facing a severe weather crisis as the Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a special warning for heavy rain. The highest level of caution, level 5, has been activated, indicating the need for utmost vigilance. The prefecture is experiencing unprecedented heavy rainfall, with the potential for significant disasters such as landslides and flooding already occurring.

As a result, emergency measures are being taken to ensure the safety of residents. In Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture, a state of ‘emergency safety assurance’ has been declared for 22,005 households and 57,222 individuals. Similarly, in Higashimine Village, Fukuoka Prefecture, the entire area, consisting of 809 households and 1,868 people, has been placed under the same safety assurance.

The Japan Meteorological Agency and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will hold a press conference at 7:40 am to provide further information on the situation and future precautions. It is essential for everyone to stay in a safe location and take actions that maximize the chances of survival.

Additionally, heavy rain has caused the Yamakuni River in Oita Prefecture to overflow in the Hanyu Kei area of Nakatsu City. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Oita Local Meteorological Office have issued a level 5 ‘overflow occurrence information’ alert, urging the highest level of caution.

In Saga Prefecture, the city of Karatsu has issued evacuation orders to all 51,185 households and 117,257 people in response to the increased risk of landslides and river flooding. The alert level has reached level 4, indicating the need for everyone to evacuate from dangerous areas.

Furthermore, the heavy rain has affected transportation systems. The Sanyo Shinkansen, operating between Hakata Station and Hiroshima Station, has suspended services due to the adverse weather conditions. Additionally, the heavy rain has caused disruptions to the JR West Japan train services.

Please stay tuned for further updates on this developing situation. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be partly cloudy with a maximum temperature of 26°C and a minimum temperature of 25°C. There is a 12% chance of sunshine and a UV index of 7. And that’s all for today’s news. Thanks for listening to Japan Daily News.